Further SearchState && JS cleanup - search kind of works now but still needs

a lot of attention

9 files changed, 196 insertions, 479 deletions

diff --git a/askbot/conf/__init__.py b/askbot/conf/__init__.py
index 026a6185..9892a2a4 100644
--- a/askbot/conf/__init__.py
+++ b/askbot/conf/__init__.py
@@ -31,4 +31,5 @@ def should_show_sort_by_relevance():
     """True if configuration support sorting
     questions by search relevance
     """
-    return ('postgresql_psycopg2' in askbot.get_database_engine_name())
+    return True
+    #return ('postgresql_psycopg2' in askbot.get_database_engine_name())
diff --git a/askbot/forms.py b/askbot/forms.py
index 82bbcb25..08645fcd 100644
--- a/askbot/forms.py
+++ b/askbot/forms.py
@@ -496,77 +496,6 @@ class SendMessageForm(forms.Form):
                         )
 
 
-class AdvancedSearchForm(forms.Form):
-    """nothing must be required in this form
-    it is used by the main questions view for input validation only
-    """
-    scope = forms.ChoiceField(choices=const.POST_SCOPE_LIST, required=False)
-    sort = forms.ChoiceField(choices=const.POST_SORT_METHODS, required=False)
-    query = forms.CharField(max_length=256, required=False)
-    #search field is actually a button, used to detect manual button click
-    search = forms.CharField(max_length=16, required=False)
-    reset_tags = forms.BooleanField(required=False)
-    reset_author = forms.BooleanField(required=False)
-    reset_query = forms.BooleanField(required=False)
-    start_over = forms.BooleanField(required=False)
-    tags = forms.CharField(max_length=256, required=False)
-    remove_tag = forms.CharField(max_length=256, required=False)
-    author = forms.IntegerField(required=False)
-    page_size = forms.ChoiceField(choices=const.PAGE_SIZE_CHOICES, required=False)
-    page = forms.IntegerField(required=False)
-
-    def clean_tags(self):
-        if 'tags' in self.cleaned_data:
-            tags_input = self.cleaned_data['tags'].strip()
-            split_re = re.compile(const.TAG_SPLIT_REGEX)
-            tag_strings = split_re.split(tags_input)
-            tagname_re = re.compile(const.TAG_REGEX, re.UNICODE)
-            out = set()
-            for s in tag_strings:
-                if tagname_re.search(s):
-                    out.add(s)
-            if len(out) > 0:
-                self.cleaned_data['tags'] = out
-            else:
-                self.cleaned_data['tags'] = None
-            return self.cleaned_data['tags']
-
-    def clean_query(self):
-        if 'query' in self.cleaned_data:
-            q = self.cleaned_data['query'].strip()
-            if q == '':
-                q = None
-            self.cleaned_data['query'] = q
-            return self.cleaned_data['query']
-
-    def clean_page_size(self):
-        if 'page_size' in self.cleaned_data:
-            if self.cleaned_data['page_size'] == '':
-                self.cleaned_data['page_size'] = None
-            else:
-                page_size = self.cleaned_data['page_size']
-                #by this time it is guaranteed to be castable as int
-                self.cleaned_data['page_size'] = int(page_size)
-            return self.cleaned_data['page_size']
-
-    def clean(self):
-        #todo rewrite
-        data = self.cleaned_data
-        cleanup_dict(data, 'scope', '')
-        cleanup_dict(data, 'tags', None)
-        cleanup_dict(data, 'sort', '')
-        cleanup_dict(data, 'query', None)
-        cleanup_dict(data, 'search', '')
-        cleanup_dict(data, 'reset_tags', False)
-        cleanup_dict(data, 'reset_author', False)
-        cleanup_dict(data, 'reset_query', False)
-        cleanup_dict(data, 'remove_tag', '')
-        cleanup_dict(data, 'start_over', False)
-        cleanup_dict(data, 'author', None)
-        cleanup_dict(data, 'page', None)
-        cleanup_dict(data, 'page_size', None)
-        return data
-
 class NotARobotForm(forms.Form):
     recaptcha = RecaptchaField(
                     private_key = askbot_settings.RECAPTCHA_SECRET,
diff --git a/askbot/search/state_manager.py b/askbot/search/state_manager.py
index adb56138..627d91e6 100644
--- a/askbot/search/state_manager.py
+++ b/askbot/search/state_manager.py
@@ -1,27 +1,14 @@
-#search state manager object
-#that lives in the session and takes care of the state
-#persistece during the search session
+"""Search state manager object"""
 import re
-import copy
+
+from django.utils.http import urlquote
+
 import askbot
 import askbot.conf
 from askbot import const
 from askbot.conf import settings as askbot_settings
 from askbot.utils.functions import strip_plus
-import logging
-
-ACTIVE_COMMANDS = (
-    'sort', 'search', 'query',
-    'reset_query', 'reset_author', 'reset_tags', 'remove_tag',
-    'tags', 'scope', 'page_size', 'start_over',
-    'page'
-)
 
-def some_in(what, where):
-    for element in what:
-        if element in where:
-            return True
-    return False
 
 def extract_matching_token(text, regexes):
     """if text matches any of the regexes,
@@ -92,166 +79,79 @@ def parse_query(query):
     }
 
 class SearchState(object):
-    def __init__(self):
-        self.scope = const.DEFAULT_POST_SCOPE
-        self.query = None
-        self.stripped_query = None
-        self.query_tags = []
-        self.query_users = []
-        self.query_title = None
-        self.search = None
-        self.tags = None
-        self.author = None
-        self.sort = const.DEFAULT_POST_SORT_METHOD
-        self.page_size = int(askbot_settings.DEFAULT_QUESTIONS_PAGE_SIZE)
-        self.page = 1
-        self.logged_in = False
-        logging.debug('new search state initialized')
+    def __init__(self, scope, sort, query, tags, author, page, page_size, user_logged_in):
+        # INFO: zip(*[('a', 1), ('b', 2)])[0] == ('a', 'b')
+
+        if (scope not in zip(*const.POST_SCOPE_LIST)[0]) or (scope == 'favorite' and not user_logged_in):
+            self.scope = const.DEFAULT_POST_SCOPE
+        else:
+            self.scope = scope
+
+        if query:
+            self.query = ' '.join(query.split('+')).strip()
+            if self.query == '':
+                self.query = None
+        else:
+            self.query = None
+
+        if self.query:
+            #pull out values of [title:xxx], [user:some one]
+            #[tag: sometag], title:'xxx', title:"xxx", @user, @'some user',
+            #and  #tag - (hash symbol to delineate the tag
+            query_bits = parse_query(self.query)
+            self.stripped_query = query_bits['stripped_query']
+            self.query_tags = query_bits['query_tags']
+            self.query_users = query_bits['query_users']
+            self.query_title = query_bits['query_title']
+        else:
+            self.stripped_query = None
+            self.query_tags = None
+            self.query_users = None
+            self.query_title = None
+
+        if (sort not in zip(*const.POST_SORT_METHODS)[0]) or (sort == 'relevance-desc' and (not self.query or not askbot.conf.should_show_sort_by_relevance())):
+            self.sort = const.DEFAULT_POST_SORT_METHOD
+        else:
+            self.sort = sort
+
+        if tags:
+            # const.TAG_SPLIT_REGEX, const.TAG_REGEX
+            #' '.join(tags.split('+'))
+            self.tags = tags.split('+')
+        else:
+            self.tags = None
+
+        if author:
+            self.author = int(author)
+        else:
+            self.author = None
+
+        if page:
+            self.page = int(page)
+        else:
+            self.page = 1
+
+        if not page_size or page_size not in zip(*const.PAGE_SIZE_CHOICES)[0]:
+            self.page_size = int(askbot_settings.DEFAULT_QUESTIONS_PAGE_SIZE)
+        else:
+            self.page_size = int(page_size)
 
     def __str__(self):
         out = 'scope=%s\n' % self.scope
         out += 'query=%s\n' % self.query
-        if hasattr(self, 'search'):
-            manual_search = (self.search == 'search')
-            out += 'manual_search = %s\n' % str(manual_search)
         if self.tags:
             out += 'tags=%s\n' % ','.join(self.tags)
         out += 'author=%s\n' % self.author
         out += 'sort=%s\n' % self.sort
         out += 'page_size=%d\n' % self.page_size
         out += 'page=%d\n' % self.page
-        out += 'logged_in=%s\n' % str(self.logged_in)
         return out
 
-    def reset(self):
-        #re-initialize, but keep login state
-        is_logged_in = self.logged_in
-        self.__init__()
-        self.logged_in = is_logged_in
-
-    def update_value(self, key, store, reset_page=True):
-        if key in store:
-            old_value = getattr(self, key)
-            new_value = store[key]
-            if new_value != old_value:
-                setattr(self, key, new_value)
-                if reset_page == True:
-                    self.reset_page()
-
-    def update_from_user_input(self, input_dict, user_logged_in):
-        #todo: this function will probably not 
-        #fit the case of multiple parameters entered at the same tiem
-        if 'start_over' in input_dict:
-            self.reset()
-
-        reset_page = True
-        if 'page' in input_dict:
-            self.page = input_dict['page']
-            reset_page = False # This is done to keep page from resetting in other sorting modes
-
-        if 'page_size' in input_dict:
-            self.update_value('page_size', input_dict)
-            self.reset_page()#todo may be smarter here - start with ~same q
-
-        if 'scope' in input_dict:
-            if input_dict['scope'] == 'favorite' and not user_logged_in:
-                self.scope = const.DEFAULT_POST_SCOPE
-            else:
-                self.update_value('scope', input_dict, reset_page=reset_page)
-
-        if 'tags' in input_dict:
-            if self.tags:
-                old_tags = self.tags.copy()
-                self.tags = self.tags.union(input_dict['tags'])
-                if self.tags != old_tags:
-                    self.reset_page()
-            else:
-                self.tags = input_dict['tags']
-
-        if 'remove_tag' in input_dict and self.tags:
-            rm_set = set([input_dict['remove_tag']])
-            self.tags -= rm_set
-            return
-
-        #all resets just return
-        if 'reset_tags' in input_dict:
-            if self.tags:
-                self.tags = None
-                self.reset_page()
-            return
-
-        #todo: handle case of deleting tags one-by-one
-        if 'reset_author' in input_dict:
-            if self.author:
-                self.author = None
-                self.reset_page()
-            return
-
-        if 'reset_query' in input_dict:
-            self.reset_query()
-            if input_dict.get('sort', None) == 'relevance-desc':
-                self.reset_sort()
-            return
-
-        self.update_value('author', input_dict, reset_page=reset_page)
-
-        if 'query' in input_dict:
-            query_bits = parse_query(input_dict['query'])
-            tmp_input_dict = copy.deepcopy(input_dict)
-            tmp_input_dict.update(query_bits)
-            self.update_value('query', tmp_input_dict, reset_page=reset_page)#the original query
-            #pull out values of [title:xxx], [user:some one]
-            #[tag: sometag], title:'xxx', title:"xxx", @user, @'some user',
-            #and  #tag - (hash symbol to delineate the tag
-            self.update_value('stripped_query', tmp_input_dict, reset_page=reset_page)
-            self.update_value('query_tags', tmp_input_dict, reset_page=reset_page)
-            self.update_value('query_users', tmp_input_dict, reset_page=reset_page)
-            self.update_value('query_title', tmp_input_dict, reset_page=reset_page)
-            self.sort = 'relevance-desc'
-        elif 'search' in input_dict:
-            #a case of use nulling search query by hand
-            #this branch corresponds to hitting search button manually
-            #when the search query is empty
-            self.reset_query()
-            return
-        elif askbot_settings.DECOUPLE_TEXT_QUERY_FROM_SEARCH_STATE:
-            #no query in the request and the setting instructs to
-            #not have the text search query sticky
-            self.reset_query()
-
-        if 'sort' in input_dict:
-            if input_dict['sort'] == 'relevance-desc' and self.query is None:
-                self.reset_sort()
-            else:
-                self.update_value('sort', input_dict, reset_page=reset_page)
-
-        #todo: plug - mysql has no relevance sort
-        if not askbot.conf.should_show_sort_by_relevance():
-            if self.sort == 'relevance-desc':
-                self.reset_sort()
-
-    def reset_page(self):
-        self.page = 1
-
-    def reset_query(self):
-        """reset the search query string and 
-        the associated "sort by relevance command"
-        """
-        if self.query:
-            self.query = None
-            self.reset_page()
-            if self.sort == 'relevance-desc':
-                self.reset_sort()
-
-    def reset_sort(self):
-        self.sort = const.DEFAULT_POST_SORT_METHOD
-
-
     def query_string(self):
-        out = 'section:%s' % self.scope
+        out = 'scope:%s' % self.scope
         out += '/sort:%s' % self.sort
         if self.query:
-            out += '/query:%s' % '+'.join(self.query.split(' '))
+            out += '/query:%s' % urlquote(self.query)
         if self.tags:
             out += '/tags:%s' % '+'.join(self.tags)
         if self.author:
diff --git a/askbot/skins/common/media/js/live_search.js b/askbot/skins/common/media/js/live_search.js
index ded6f4cf..8dcfe85f 100644
--- a/askbot/skins/common/media/js/live_search.js
+++ b/askbot/skins/common/media/js/live_search.js
@@ -1,13 +1,11 @@
-var prevSortMethod = sortMethod;
 
 var liveSearch = function(command, query_string) {
     var query = $('input#keywords');
-    var query_val = function () {return $.trim(query.val());}
+    var query_val = function () {return $.trim(query.val());};
     var prev_text = query_val();
     var running = false;
     var q_list_sel = 'question-list';//id of question listing div
     var search_url = askbot['urls']['questions'];
-    var current_url = search_url + query_string;
     var x_button = $('input[name=reset_query]');
 
     var refresh_x_button = function(){
@@ -22,67 +20,65 @@ var liveSearch = function(command, query_string) {
         }
     };
 
-    var process_query = function(){
-        if (prev_text.length === 0 && showSortByRelevance){
-            if (sortMethod === 'activity-desc'){
-                prevSortMethod = sortMethod;
-                sortMethod = 'relevance-desc';
-            }
-        }
-        if (current_url !== undefined){
-            search_url = '/'; //resetting search_url every times
-            query_string = current_url;
-        }
-        else {
-            search_url = askbot['urls']['questions']; //resetting search_url every times
-        }
-        params = query_string.split('/')
-        for (var i = 0; i < params.length; i++){
-            if (params[i] !== ''){
-                if (params[i].substring(0, 5) == "sort:"){ //change the sort method
-                    search_url += 'sort:'+sortMethod+'/'
-                    search_url += 'query:'+ encodeURIComponent(cur_text); //cur_text.split(' ').join('+') + '/' //we add the query here
-                }
-                else{
-                    search_url += params[i] + '/';
-                }
-            }
-        }
-        send_query(cur_text);
-    };
-
     var restart_query = function() {
+        sortMethod = 'activity-desc';
         query.val('');
-        (function reset_sort_method(){
-            if (sortMethod === 'relevance-desc'){
-                sortMethod = prevSortMethod;
-                if (sortMethod === 'relevance-desc'){
-                    sortMethod = 'activity-desc';
-                }
-            } else {
-                sortMethod = 'activity-desc';
-                prevSortMethod = 'activity-desc';
-            }
-        })();
         refresh_x_button();
-        new_url = remove_from_url(search_url, 'query');
-        search_url = askbot['urls']['questions'] + 'reset_query:true/';
-        reset_query(new_url, sortMethod);
-        running = true;
+        send_query();
     };
 
     var eval_query = function(){
-        cur_text = query_val();
-        if (cur_text !== prev_text && running === false){
-            if (cur_text.length >= minSearchWordLength){
-                process_query();
-                running = true;
-            } else if (cur_text.length === 0){
+        cur_query = query_val();
+        if (cur_query !== prev_text && running === false){
+            if (cur_query.length >= minSearchWordLength){
+                send_query(cur_query);
+            } else if (cur_query.length === 0){
                 restart_query();
             }
         }
     };
 
+    var send_query = function(query_text){
+        running = true;
+        if(query_text === undefined) { // handle missing parameter
+            query_text = query_val();
+        }
+        query_string = patch_query_string(
+            query_string,
+            'query:' + encodeURIComponent(query_text),
+            query_text === ''   // remove if empty
+        );
+
+        var url = search_url + query_string;
+        $.ajax({
+            url: url,
+            dataType: 'json',
+            success: render_result,
+            complete: function(){
+                running = false;
+                eval_query();
+            },
+            cache: false
+        });
+        prev_text = query_text;
+        var context = { state:1, rand:Math.random() };
+        History.pushState( context, "Questions", url );
+    };
+
+    var refresh_main_page = function (){
+        $.ajax({
+            url: askbot['urls']['questions'],
+            data: {preserve_state: true},
+            dataType: 'json',
+            success: render_result
+        });
+
+        var context = { state:1, rand:Math.random() };
+        var title = "Questions";
+        var query = askbot['urls']['questions'];
+        History.pushState( context, title, query );
+    };
+
     /* *********************************** */
 
     var render_related_tags = function(tags, query_string){
@@ -98,7 +94,7 @@ var liveSearch = function(command, query_string) {
 
             html_list.push(tag.getElement().outerHTML());
             html_list.push('<span class="tag-number">&#215; ');
-            html_list.push(tags[i]['used_count'])
+            html_list.push(tags[i]['used_count']);
             html_list.push('</span>');
             html_list.push('<br />');
         }
@@ -114,7 +110,6 @@ var liveSearch = function(command, query_string) {
         } else {
             $('#listSearchTags').show();
             $('#search-tips').show();
-            var tags_html = '';
             $.each(tags, function(idx, tag_name){
                 var tag = new Tag();
                 tag.setName(tag_name);
@@ -132,94 +127,77 @@ var liveSearch = function(command, query_string) {
 
     var create_relevance_tab = function(query_string){
         relevance_tab = $('<a></a>');
-        href = '/questions/' + replace_in_url(query_string, 'sort:relevance-desc')
+        href = search_url + patch_query_string(query_string, 'sort:relevance-desc');
         relevance_tab.attr('href', href);
         relevance_tab.attr('id', 'by_relevance');
         relevance_tab.html('<span>' + sortButtonData['relevance']['label'] + '</span>');
         return relevance_tab;
-    }
+    };
+
+    /* *************************************** */
 
-    var replace_in_url = function (query_string, param){
-        values = param.split(':')
-        type = values[0]
-        value = values[1]
-        params = query_string.split('/')
-        url=""
-
-        for (var i = 0; i < params.length; i++){
-            if (params[i] !== ''){
-                if (params[i].substring(0, type.length) == type){
-                    url += param + '/'
-                }
-                else{
-                    url += params[i] + '/'
-                }
+    var get_query_string_selector_value = function (query_string, selector) {
+        var params = query_string.split('/');
+        for(var i=0; i<params.length; i++) {
+            var param_split = params[i].split(':');
+            if(param_split[0] === selector) {
+                return param_split[1];
             }
         }
-        return url   
-    }
+        return undefined;
+    };
 
-    var remove_from_url = function (query_string, type){
-        params = query_string.split('/')
-        url=""
-        for (var i = 0; i < params.length; i++){
-            if (params[i] !== ''){
-                if (params[i].substring(0, type.length) !== type){
-                    url += params[i] + '/'
-                }
+    var patch_query_string = function (query_string, patch, remove) {
+        var patch_split = patch.split(':');
+        var mapping = {};
+        var params = query_string.split('/');
+        var new_query_string = '';
+
+        if(!remove) {
+            mapping[patch_split[0]] = patch_split[1]; // prepopulate the patched selector
+        }
+
+        for (var i = 0; i < params.length; i++) {
+            var param_split = params[i].split(':');
+            if(param_split[0] !== patch_split[0] && param_split[1]) {
+                mapping[param_split[0]] = param_split[1];
             }
         }
-        return '/'+url   
-    }
 
-    var remove_tag_from_url =function (query_string, tag){
-        url = askbot['urls']['questions'];
-        flag = false
-        author = ''
-        if (query_string !== null){
-            params = query_string.split('/')
-            for (var i = 0; i < params.length; i++){
-                if (params[i] !== ''){
-                    if (params[i].substring(0, 5) == "tags:"){
-                        tags = params[i].substr(5).split('+');
-                        new_tags = ''
-                        for(var j = 0; j < tags.length; j++){
-                            if(encodeURIComponent(tags[j]) !== encodeURIComponent(tag)){
-                                if (new_tags !== ''){
-                                    new_tags += '+'
-                                }
-                                new_tags += encodeURIComponent(tags[j]);
-                            }
-                        }
-                        if(new_tags !== ''){
-                            url += 'tags:'+new_tags+'/'
-                        }
-                        flag = true
-                    }
-                    else if (params[i].substring(0, 7) == "author:"){
-                        author = params[i];
-                    }
-                    else{
-                        url += params[i] + '/';
-                    }
-                }
+        var add_selector = function(name) {
+            if(name in mapping) {
+                new_query_string += name + ':' + mapping[name] + '/';
             }
-            if (author !== '') {
-                url += author+'/'
+        };
+
+        /* The order of selectors should match the Django URL */
+        add_selector('scope');
+        add_selector('sort');
+        add_selector('query');
+        add_selector('tags');
+        add_selector('author');
+        add_selector('page_size');
+        add_selector('page');
+
+        return new_query_string;
+    };
+
+    var remove_search_tag = function(tag){
+        var tag_string = get_query_string_selector_value(query_string, 'tags');
+        if(!tag_string) return; // early exit
+
+        var tags = tag_string.split('+');
+        var new_tags = [];
+
+        for(var j = 0; j < tags.length; j++){
+            if(tags[j] !== tag) {
+                new_tags.push(tags[j]);
             }
         }
-        return url
 
-    }
+        query_string = patch_query_string(query_string, 'tags:' + new_tags.join('+'));
 
-    var set_section_tabs = function(query_string){
-        var tabs = $('#section_tabs > a'); /* TODO: This doesn't point to anything now */
-        tabs.each(function(index, element){
-            var tab = $(element);
-            var tab_name = tab.attr('id').replace(/^by_/,'');
-            href = '/questions/' + replace_in_url(query_string, 'section:'+tab_name)
-            tab.attr('href', href);
-        });
+        send_query();
     };
 
     var set_active_sort_tab = function(sort_method, query_string){
@@ -229,7 +207,7 @@ var liveSearch = function(command, query_string) {
             var tab = $(element);
             var tab_name = tab.attr('id').replace(/^by_/,'');
             if (tab_name in sortButtonData){
-                href = '/questions/' + replace_in_url(query_string, 'sort:'+tab_name+'-desc')
+                href = search_url + patch_query_string(query_string, 'sort:'+tab_name+'-desc');
                 tab.attr('href', href);
                 tab.attr('title', sortButtonData[tab_name]['desc_tooltip']);
                 tab.html(sortButtonData[tab_name]['label']);
@@ -264,21 +242,6 @@ var liveSearch = function(command, query_string) {
         }
     };
 
-    var remove_search_tag = function(tag_name, query_string){
-        $.ajax({
-            url: askbot['urls']['questions']+'remove_tag:'+encodeURIComponent(tag_name)+'/',
-            dataType: 'json',
-            success: render_result,
-            complete: try_again
-        });
-        search_url = remove_tag_from_url(query_string, tag_name)
-        current_url = search_url;
-        var context = { state:1, rand:Math.random() };
-        var title = "Questions";
-        var query = search_url;
-        History.pushState( context, title, query );
-    };
-
     var render_result = function(data, text_status, xhr){
         if (data['questions'].length > 0){
             $('#pager').toggle(data['paginator'] !== '').html(data['paginator']);
@@ -291,7 +254,6 @@ var liveSearch = function(command, query_string) {
             render_related_tags(data['related_tags'], data['query_string']);
             render_relevance_sort_tab(data['query_string']);
             set_active_sort_tab(sortMethod, data['query_string']);
-            set_section_tabs(data['query_string']);
             if(data['feed_url']){
                 // Change RSS URL
                 $("#ContentLeft a.rss:first").attr("href", data['feed_url']);
@@ -308,61 +270,9 @@ var liveSearch = function(command, query_string) {
                 new_list.fadeIn(400);            
             });
         }
-    }
-
-    /* *********************************** */
-
-    var try_again = function(){
-        running = false;
-        eval_query();
-    }
-
-    var send_query = function(query_text){
-        $.ajax({
-            url: search_url,
-            dataType: 'json',
-            success: render_result,
-            complete: try_again,
-            cache: false
-        });
-        prev_text = query_text;
-        var context = { state:1, rand:Math.random() };
-        var title = "Questions";
-        var query = search_url;
-        History.pushState( context, title, query );
-    }
-/*
-    var reset_query = function(new_url, sort_method){
-        $.ajax({
-            url: search_url,
-            //data: {reset_query: true, sort: sort_method},
-            dataType: 'json',
-            success: render_result,
-            complete: try_again
-        });
-        prev_text = '';
-        var context = { state:1, rand:Math.random() };
-        var title = "Questions";
-        var query = new_url;
-        History.pushState( context, title, query );
-    }
-*/
-    var refresh_main_page = function (){
-        $.ajax({
-            url: askbot['urls']['questions'],
-            data: {preserve_state: true},
-            dataType: 'json',
-            success: render_result
-        });
-
-        var context = { state:1, rand:Math.random() };
-        var title = "Questions";
-        var query = askbot['urls']['questions'];
-        History.pushState( context, title, query );
     };
 
-    /* *************************************** */
-
+    /* *********************************** */
 
     if(command === 'refresh') {
         refresh_main_page();
diff --git a/askbot/skins/default/templates/macros.html b/askbot/skins/default/templates/macros.html
index 2ffa5d25..55359e0f 100644
--- a/askbot/skins/default/templates/macros.html
+++ b/askbot/skins/default/templates/macros.html
@@ -361,22 +361,21 @@ for the purposes of the AJAX comment editor #}
     button_sort_criterium + "asc" or "desc"
 #}
     {% set key_name = button_sort_criterium %}
-    {% set sort = current_sort_method %}
-    {% if sort == key_name + "-asc" %}{# "worst" first #}
-    <a id="by_{{key_name}}" 
-        href={% url questions %}{{ query_string|replace_in_url("sort:"+key_name+"-desc") }}
-        class="rev on" 
-        title="{{desc_tooltip}}"><span>{{label}} &#9650;</span></a>
-    {% elif sort == key_name + "-desc" %}{# "best first" #}
-    <a id="by_{{key_name}}"
-        href={% url questions %}{{ query_string|replace_in_url("sort:"+key_name+"-asc") }}
-        class="rev on"
-        title="{{asc_tooltip}}"><span>{{label}} &#9660;</span></a>
+    {% if current_sort_method == key_name + "-asc" %}{# "worst" first #}
+        <a id="by_{{key_name}}"
+            href={% url questions %}{{ query_string|replace_in_url("sort:"+key_name+"-desc") }}
+            class="rev on"
+            title="{{desc_tooltip}}"><span>{{label}} &#9650;</span></a>
+    {% elif current_sort_method == key_name + "-desc" %}{# "best first" #}
+        <a id="by_{{key_name}}"
+            href={% url questions %}{{ query_string|replace_in_url("sort:"+key_name+"-asc") }}
+            class="rev on"
+            title="{{asc_tooltip}}"><span>{{label}} &#9660;</span></a>
     {% else %}{# default, when other button is active #}
-    <a id="by_{{key_name}}"
-        href={% url questions %}{{ query_string|replace_in_url("sort:"+key_name+"-desc") }} 
-        class="off"
-        title="{{desc_tooltip}}"><span>{{label}}</span></a>
+        <a id="by_{{key_name}}"
+            href={% url questions %}{{ query_string|replace_in_url("sort:"+key_name+"-desc") }}
+            class="off"
+            title="{{desc_tooltip}}"><span>{{label}}</span></a>
     {% endif %}
     <script type="text/javascript">{# need to pass on text translations to js #}
         var sortButtonData = sortButtonData || {};
diff --git a/askbot/skins/default/templates/main_page/tab_bar.html b/askbot/skins/default/templates/main_page/tab_bar.html
index 1802640f..80a4b95f 100644
--- a/askbot/skins/default/templates/main_page/tab_bar.html
+++ b/askbot/skins/default/templates/main_page/tab_bar.html
@@ -19,7 +19,7 @@
             {% set relevance_label = gettext('relevance') %}
             {% if query %}
             <a id="by_relevance"
-                {% if sort == "relevance-desc" %}
+                {% if sortMethod == "relevance-desc" %}
                     href="{% url questions %}{{ query_string|replace_in_url("sort:relevance-desc") }}"
                     class="on"
                     title="{{asc_relevance_tooltip}}"><span>{{relevance_label}} &#9660;</span>
@@ -75,7 +75,6 @@
                 query_string = query_string,
             )
         }}
-
     </div>
 </div>
 
diff --git a/askbot/tests/search_state_tests.py b/askbot/tests/search_state_tests.py
index 6a6bf167..21c416f8 100644
--- a/askbot/tests/search_state_tests.py
+++ b/askbot/tests/search_state_tests.py
@@ -59,6 +59,8 @@ class SearchStateTests(TestCase):
         self.assertEquals(self.state.sort, 'age-asc')
         self.update({})
         self.assertEquals(self.state.sort, DEFAULT_SORT)
+
+
 class ParseQueryTests(unittest.TestCase):
     def test_extract_users(self):
         text = '@anna haha @"maria fernanda" @\'diego maradona\' hehe [user:karl  marx] hoho  user:\' george bush  \''
diff --git a/askbot/urls.py b/askbot/urls.py
index 794660f2..3c080470 100644
--- a/askbot/urls.py
+++ b/askbot/urls.py
@@ -61,11 +61,11 @@ urlpatterns = patterns('',
     # BEGIN Questions (main page) urls. All this urls work both normally and through ajax
 
     url(
+        # Note that all parameters, even if optional, are provided to the view. Non-present ones have None value.
         (r'^%s' % _('questions') +
-            r'(%s)?' % r'/section:(?P<scope>\w+)' +
+            r'(%s)?' % r'/scope:(?P<scope>\w+)' +
             r'(%s)?' % r'/sort:(?P<sort>[\w\-]+)' +
             r'(%s)?' % r'/query:(?P<query>[^/]+)' +  # INFO: question string cannot contain slash (/), which is a section terminator
-            r'(%s)?' % r'/search:search' +
             r'(%s)?' % r'/tags:(?P<tags>[\w\d\-\+\#]+)' +
             r'(%s)?' % r'/author:(?P<author>\d+)' +
             r'(%s)?' % r'/page_size:(?P<page_size>\d+)' +
diff --git a/askbot/views/readers.py b/askbot/views/readers.py
index 72d3f06a..aad42b60 100644
--- a/askbot/views/readers.py
+++ b/askbot/views/readers.py
@@ -11,7 +11,7 @@ import logging
 import urllib
 import operator
 from django.shortcuts import get_object_or_404
-from django.http import HttpResponseRedirect, HttpResponse, Http404
+from django.http import HttpResponseRedirect, HttpResponse, Http404, HttpResponseNotAllowed
 from django.core.paginator import Paginator, EmptyPage, InvalidPage
 from django.template import Context
 from django.utils import simplejson
@@ -27,7 +27,7 @@ from django.http import QueryDict
 import askbot
 from askbot import exceptions
 from askbot.utils.diff import textDiff as htmldiff
-from askbot.forms import AdvancedSearchForm, AnswerForm, ShowQuestionForm
+from askbot.forms import AnswerForm, ShowQuestionForm
 from askbot import models
 from askbot import schedules
 from askbot.models.badges import award_badges_signal
@@ -63,38 +63,15 @@ def index(request):#generates front page - shows listing of questions sorted in
     """
     return HttpResponseRedirect(reverse('questions'))
 
-def questions(request, scope=const.DEFAULT_POST_SCOPE, sort=const.DEFAULT_POST_SORT_METHOD, query=None,
-        search=None, tags=None, author=None, page=None, reset_tags=None,
-        reset_author=None, reset_query=None,
-        remove_tag=None, page_size=None):
+def questions(request, **kwargs):
     """
     List of Questions, Tagged questions, and Unanswered questions.
     matching search query or user selection
     """
-    if request.method == 'POST':    # TODO: This is 405 condition, not 404. Django 1.2+ has decorator for this: https://docs.djangoproject.com/en/1.2/topics/http/decorators/#django.views.decorators.http.require_GET
-        raise Http404
-
-    #make parameters dictionary
-    params_dict = {
-        'scope': scope,
-        'sort': sort,
-    }
-    for arg_name in ('query', 'tags'):
-        if locals().get(arg_name, None):
-            params_dict[arg_name] = ' '.join(locals()[arg_name].split('+'))
-    for arg_name in ('search', 'author', 'page', 'reset_tags', 'reset_author', 'reset_query', 'start_over', 'remove_tag', 'page_size'):
-        if locals().get(arg_name, None):
-            params_dict[arg_name] = locals()[arg_name]
-
-    #update search state
-    form = AdvancedSearchForm(params_dict)
-    if form.is_valid():
-        user_input = form.cleaned_data
-    else:
-        user_input = None
+    if request.method != 'GET':
+        return HttpResponseNotAllowed(['GET'])
 
-    search_state = SearchState()
-    search_state.update_from_user_input(input_dict=user_input, user_logged_in=request.user.is_authenticated())
+    search_state = SearchState(user_logged_in=request.user.is_authenticated(), **kwargs)
 
     #######